Black Cohosh

(Cimicifuga racemosa)

Black cohosh is a tall perennial plant that grows in eastern and central areas of the United States. Black cohosh was used by Native Americans as a traditional folk remedy for womens' health conditions, such as menstrual cramps and hot flashes, arthritis, muscle pain, sore throat, cough and indigestion. The juice of the plant was used as an insect repellent and was made into a salve and applied to snake bites.

The parts of the plant used medicinally are the fresh or dried roots and rhizomes (underground stems). The active compound is believed to be 26-deoxyactein.

How black cohosh works isn't understood. It was once thought to have estrogen-like activity, but there is growing evidence that it does not.

Black cohosh is one of the more popular herbal remedies for menopausal symptoms, such as hot flashes, night sweats, migraines, mood disturbances, heart palpitations and vaginal dryness. Initial research on black cohosh suggests that it may improve some menopausal symptoms for up to six months. In fact, in 2001, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists stated that black cohosh may be helpful in the short-term (less than 6 months) for menopausal hot flashes.

A recent, year-long study on black cohosh, however, didn't find that it had any significant benefit in women with hot flashes or night sweats. Researchers from the National Institute on Aging and the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine gave 351 peri-menopausal and post-menopausal women either black cohosh, black cohosh combined with other herbs, the black cohosh/herb blend plus a soy-enhanced diet, hormone replacement therapy or a placebo.

BLACK COHOSH

Main Uses:	to relieve menopause symptoms (such as hot flashes, night sweats, vaginal dryness, mood swings, etc.) for menstrual cramps and bloating
Properties and Actions Documented by Traditional Use:	for menstrual cramps, hot flashes, arthritis, muscle pain, sore throat, cough, indigestion, snake bites, and as insect repellant
Contraindications:	Do not use during pregnancy or while breast-feeding People with hormone-sensitive condutions should avoid taking black cohosh Excessive doses may cause indigestion, headache, nausea, perspiration, vomiting, heaviness in the legs, weight gain, low blood pressure People with allergies to plants in the buttercup (Ranunculaceae) family should avoid black cohosh. Black cohosh contains small amounts of salicylic acid, so people with allergies to aspirin or salicylates should avoid black cohosh. People with a history of blood clots or stroke, seizures, liver disease should not use black cohosh.
Drug Interactions:	Because it may act like the hormone estrogen in the body, black cohosh might interfere with hormone replacement therapy or oral contraceptives. Black cohosh may interfere with the effectiveness of the chemotherapy drug cisplatin.

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